One thing I love about the warmer months is Salads! We are no longer craving the hearty sustenance that we craved all winter but are longing for lighter, fresher flavors and ways to really incorporate as much of the fresh produce available at this time of year as we can!
I am a person who enjoys salads any time of year, but in the summer months we can get a bit more inventive with them, and pasta salads are a wonderful way to do that. A tiny bit heartier than a bit of lettuce and cucumber they go really well with all of our BBQ's, Picnics, Pot Lucks and outdoor eating!
Today I am sharing some of my absolute favorite pasta salads, each one designed to bring some flavor and flair to all of your warm weather meals! Quick, easy and yes, delicious!
Be sure to scroll down to the bottom to read all of my hints and tips for making this the best pasta salad season ever!
TURKEY, SOUR CHERRY, & ALMOND PASTA SALAD - This is a lovely main dish salad. I like to use farfalle (bowtie)pasta for this, whole wheat if I can get it It has the perfect shape to use in a pasta salad. Nice and open, but with a few little pleats to hold in the dressing.
And the dressing for this salad is delicious. A homemade poppy seed dressing that is lovely and tangy from fresh lemon juice, with a bit of punch from Dijon mustard and sweetness from creamy honey.
The salad itself boasts the inclusion of cubed cooked turkey breast. You could also use chicken if you don't have any turkey. Also in the mix are dried sour cherries for a bit of sweet tartness, sharp red onions, crunchy celery and salted almonds . . . and creamy tangy Gorgonzola cheese.
ITALIAN PASTA SALAD - This fabulous salad is a small batch salad designed to feed only two people, but can be very easily multiplied to feed more! Italian Pasta Salad is actually a pretty versatile salad. Basically you can add any Italian style ingredients you wish. I used a hard Italian Salami in this version, but you could also use bite sized bits of pepperoni!
Bocconcini, fresh peppers, basil, parsley, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, artichokes, salami and a punchy Italian dressing complete the picture. You will want to use a nice corkscrew type of pasta that helps to hug in all of that tasty dressing!
BACON & TOMATO PASTA SALAD - All the flavors of your favorite toasted sandwich in a delicious salad! With fresh cherry tomatoes, crisp bacon, spring onions and celery.
Mix that with some fusilli and a punchy creamy dressing and you have a salad combination that goes with just about anything!
GREEK PASTA SALAD - This delicious salad embodies all of the elements of a good Greek Salad with fresh crisp cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, red onions, kalamata olives, plenty of parsley and a delicious red wine herbed dressing.
Oh, and pasta twists, which while not exactly traditional, make this a fabulously tasty and hearty salad! Don't have pasta twists? Use any other pasta that will work to hug all of that fabulous red wine herby dressing and hold it close!!
- 3/4 cup plus 2 TBS (200g) butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) caster sugar (fine granulated sugar)
- 4 medium free range eggs, at room temperature
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups minus1 1/2 TBS (200g) self rising flour (see recipe note)
- 4 tsp warm water
- 3 1/2 TBS butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (130g) icing sugar, sifted
- 1/2 TBS whole milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 jar of seedless strawberry or raspberry jam
"Jam Sandwiches" Cake
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plus 2 TBS (200g) butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) caster sugar (fine granulated sugar)
- 4 medium free range eggs, at room temperature
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups minus1 1/2 TBS (200g) self rising flour (see recipe note)
- 4 tsp warm water
- 3 1/2 TBS butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (130g) icing sugar, sifted
- 1/2 TBS whole milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 jar of seedless strawberry or raspberry jam
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter and line an 8 X 4 X 3 inch loaf tin with baking paper.
- Measure your flour out into a bowl.
- In a larger bowl beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk for 5 to 10 minutes until light, pale in color and creamy.
- Using a fork, beat the eggs together with the vanilla in a jug. Gradually beat this mixture into the butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle, add a spoonful of the flour.
- Fold in the flour just until combined, and then fold in the warm water.
- Scrape the cake batter into the prepared loaf tin, leveling off the top with a spatula. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the cake has risen and is golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Measure the butter, icing sugar, milk and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat slowly, increasing the speed as you go, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Trim the darker ends off of the loaf cake, using a serrated knife. Cut the cake into 1/2 inch thick slices. (you should get 16)
- Sandwich the slices together in pairs with the butter cream and a quantity of jam. Cut diagonally into large triangles to look like jam sandwiches.
- You can cut the larger triangles into smaller triangles for serving.
Notes
Make Your Own Self Raising Flour:
You can make your own self raising flour by adding 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt to every cup of plain flour.
Did you make this recipe?
- 4 cups (140g) cubed white bread (3/4 inch cubes, Italian, French, Brioche, Challah)
- 4 TBS sultana raisins (golden)
- 2 large free range eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 5 TBS sugar
- 2 TBS melted butter (hot)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch salt
- icing sugar (confectioners) to dust
- vanilla ice cream
You can use stale sandwich bread, burger buns, hot dog rolls and dinner rolls. Place the cubes onto a baking sheet and let them air dry for a few hours prior to using.
You may also use a stale French baguette. In this case, assemble and allow the pudding to rest overnight in the refrigerator, covered.
Air Fryer Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 cups (140g) cubed white bread (3/4 inch cubes, Italian, French, Brioche, Challah)
- 4 TBS sultana raisins (golden)
- 2 large free range eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 5 TBS sugar
- 2 TBS melted butter (hot)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch salt
- icing sugar (confectioners) to dust
- vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- To make the custard, whisk the eggs in a bowl until emulsified. Whisk in the milk, cream, vanilla, salt and sugar. Whisk in the hot butter.
- Butter a six-inch round cake tin or casserole really well. Add half of the bread cubes. Sprinkle 2 TBS of the sultana raisins over top. Pour over half of the custard. Press down lightly with the back of a spoon. Repeat with the remaining bread cubes, sultanas and custard. Again pressing the bread down gently to submerge it in the custard.(Don't worry if it pops up again, you only want to dampen it all.)
- Preheat the air fryer to 350*F/180*C for 15 minutes.
- Place the pudding into the air fryer basket and into the air fryer. Cook for 15 minutes at 350*F/180*C. At this time the top should be nicely golden brown and a bread knife inserted near the center should come out clean. (If not done return to the air fryer and cook for a few minutes longer at the same temperature.)
- Leave to set for about 10 minutes and then dust the top with icing sugar. Serve warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
You can use stale sandwich bread, burger buns, hot dog rolls and dinner rolls. Place the cubes onto a baking sheet and let them air dry for a few hours prior to using.
You may also use a French baguette. In this case assemble and allow the pudding to rest overnight in the refrigerator, covered.
You can leave out the sultana raisins and use fresh or frozen berries (thaw and drain.)







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